We love a good love story, and Anne and Zach don't disappoint. Their wedding at Misselwood at Endicott in Beverly, MA was beautiful, personal, and incredibly detailed. Because Anne and Zach live out of town, a lot of credit for the detailed plans goes to Anne's mom, Jean, who worked with the couple and the groom's parents to make sure every little idea was in place. And it turned out perfectly, like something out of a magazine!

The groom and his groomsmen and the bride and her bridesmaids all got ready at the nearby Wylie Inn, just down the street from the venue. Hair and makeup were impeccibly done by I Do On-Site Hair and Face and the girls had a ball together during the morning.

Anne and Zach decided they did not want to see each other before the wedding, so they took photos with their respective bridal parties, but held off on doing a first look. The result was some awesome portraits of getting ready and all of the little details.

The bridal party took seperate trollies from Salem Trolley over to Misselwood, which then circled back to the Inn to pick up guests. Anne had a lot of help from her squad putting her beautiful dress on, and then had an emotional and private moment with her parents when her dad saw her for the first time.

Just before walking down the aisle, the bridal party had a chance to glimpse the ceremony setup. The chairs were facing the Atlantic Ocean and a stunning arbor put up by florist Roses & Thistle. A harpist from The Gilded Harps played as the pairs walked down the aisle, until finally it was the bride's turn, escorted by her father. There was not a dry eye in the house, and the groom sported a huge grin on his face! The ceremony featured personal vows from each of them and, before we knew it, they sealed the deal with a kiss.

After the ceremony, guests were wowed as they entered the reception tent for cocktail hour. The tent was lit up by Design Light and the centerpieces were placed to perfection by the florist, with the table numbers, menu card and hashtag signage, and candy favors coordinated by the bride's mom. Food was abundant from Fireside Catering. Guests grabbed their placecards and had the opportunity to sign the "guestbook" which was a custom piece of art for Anne and Zach to hang in their home. DJ Derek from Entertainment Specialists set the mood with his tunes and guests filtered outside to the cocktail tables and the beautiful views. They had a chance to play cornhole on a customized game set or take photos with silly props in the booth from Top Hat.

While guests took in the sights, the bridal party and family took a few photos and then Anne and Zach had their turn at portraits. Taken close to sunset, these are some of the most beautiful portaits we've ever seen! They ventured out onto the rocks for a backdrop like none other.

The reception was ready to start and the bride, groom, and guests were ready to party! DJ Derek introduced the newly minted couple, who shared a first dance, followed by a few dances with everyone on the dance floor. The first set of toasts came from the bride's dad, the maid of honor, and the best man, who all shared personal stories about the couple. Dinner was served and we were treated to another toast from the parents of the groom and we heard a few words from Anne and Zach, to express their gratitude to family and friends.

Out came the giant whoopie pie cake, made by Topsfield Bake Shop. After they cut the "cake," Anne shared an emotional dance with her father, followed by Zach and his mom. Then the dance floor opened up and it was filled for the entire rest of the night. Guests took breaks to hop in the photo booth, grab a drink, or have dessert, but this was definitely a party crowd.

Anne and Zach hopped into a trolley with their guests and headed out for a late-night afterparty to start their married life together. We wish them all the best and many years ahead of celebrating!

​Amanda and Jimmy have a fairy-tale love story over a decade in the making. Married on a dramatic August day, at Elm Bank Reservation, one of our favorite floral-focused venues, this wedding had it all – Pinterest-worthy decorations, a high energy band, delicious food, and, most importantly, heartfelt love that radiated from the couple and their loved ones. We are excited to present details from their big day, captured by the amazingly talented Dan Aguirre Photography.

While they both watched the radar for predicted impending thunderstorms, Amanda and Jimmy began the day separately. Amanda glammed up at her parent’s house with the help of Hairaholics and her three bridesmaids and family. Jimmy relaxed with his groomsmen at the couple’s house. Before heading over to the venue for the couple’s first look, Amanda surprised her dad with an emotional first look to be remembered.

​Just before the ceremony, Amanda and Jimmy met in the children’s garden for a heartfelt first look. They explored the gardens hand in hand, before being joined by their families for a pre-ceremony photo session.

The clouds held back the rain as the ceremony promptly began in the Italian Garden. Guests were wooed by the personal ceremony, which the officiant (and friend of the couple) proudly stated was “less than seven minutes long!” to the amusement of the guests and couple alike.

Cocktail hour began outside the carriage house with delicious food, lawn games, and music from Groovin’ You. The couple and their bridal party danced their way into the reception in the Carriage House, which was decorated with delicate centerpieces on silver trays by Studio One Twenty Three West, and complementary drapery and lighting hung from the high ceilings by CJC Lighting. As a delicious summer dinner was served by Off The Vine, the couple was toasted by their family and friends. Amanda and Jimmy had a blast throughout the reception, and finished off dinner with a silly cake cutting, provided by Dessertworks.

The party roared through the night as guests danced away to classic and current hits and enjoyed taking snapshots of the night in the couple’s photobooth. The party didn’t stop as the lights came on, and guests boarded school buses waiting outside for them to head to an after-party.

Congratulations Amanda and Jimmy! May your marriage be as fun-filled and colorful as your wedding.

Rachel and Josh got married over the 2016 4th of July holiday weekend in a splash of color. We have coordinated many weddings at Elm Bank Horticultural Center, but it's fair to say that Rachel and Josh truly designed something special. You'll see what we mean in the photos below, courtesy of the FABULOUS Alex + Betty. Seriously, if you are planning a wedding anywhere in the world and haven't yet hired a photographer, contact them!

Josh started his wedding day off by getting ready at their home in Natick while Rachel was with her bridesmaids at the Verve Hotel. The girls started early getting their hair and makeup done by experts The Makeup Artists and they looked great! The men and women met up at a red bridge near Rachel and Josh's home for photographs. It's a private bridge, but Rachel convinced the owner to allow them to take pictures on it during their wedding day and it worked out for the best!

The bridal party hopped in a Local Motion bus to Elm Bank where they took some more group shots around the beautiful property.

In the meantime, we were working with a fabulous team to set up for guests' arrival. Florist Mimosa Style put together and delivered the most beautiful ombre centerpieces, boutonnieres, and bouquets. Caterer Max Ultimate was busy getting the cocktail hour garden ready and setting up welcome drinks for the ceremony. And the whole space was beautifully lit by Event Illuminations, who provided a custom chandelier and a pop of color with the uplights. Before the ceremony began, Rachel and Josh had a private Ketubah signing, led by Rabbi Alan Flam.

The ceremony was set up in the Italianne Garden at Elm Bank, facing a beautiful tree. The aisle extended half the length of the garden, making for a dramatic entrance for the bridal party as they walked down the long carpet towards the alter. The bride's parents hand-made the chuppah that the couple stood under for their nuptials. Audie Bridges led the musicians in the processional and recessional music.

After the smashing of the glass and a big smooch, guests headed to Wheezie's garden for cocktail hour while the newlyweds took portraits around the Elm Bank property.

Guests moved into the carriage house for the reception. As they grabbed their escort cards, guests could select a charity that the couple would donate to in lieu of a favor. We love it when our couples choose to give back!

After all of the time and energy put into planning and getting ready for this day, Rachel and Josh were definitely ready to let loose and dance. DJ Greg from Beat Train Productions introduced the bridal party and the Mr. and Mrs. They hit the dance floor right away for their first dance, followed by the very sweet parent dances, and all of the guests were invited to the dance floor for a traditional hora.

The caterer served a delicious meal and then we had the chance to hear some personal stories from the toasts, which included the bride's parents, the groom's dad, the bride's siblings, and the groom's brother. Rachel and Josh stood up at the end to thank everyone and then the dance floor re-opened in earnest.

At the end of the night, guests left full and happy, having shared in the joy that Rachel and Josh have together as a newly married couple. Congratulations you two - you are beautiful together and your celebration reflected that!